Do you remember the first time you chose an avatar to stand in for you online? Discover the early avatars of Beata Wilczek and our special guest Mica Le John, as we explore the origins and evolution of these personal digital proxies. In delving into their histories, we uncover the broader narrative of how we present and identify ourselves in virtual environments.
Mica Le John is CEO and Co-Founder of Idoru. Built upon a radical reassessment of the potential of our shared digital future and the common languages of self-expression and connection, Idoru is a creative technology company building new platforms at the intersection of identity, self-expression and culture. At its core a creative tool, Idoru’s namesake app leverages highly representative avatars, culture-shifting brands and advanced tech to empower self-creation without limits.
"My first avatar was on Habbo Hotel. It was essentially a tiny chat room where you walked around as a pixelated avatar and interacted with other teenagers on the internet. My avatar was a tiny, pixelated black girl wearing a red shirt, and I loved it because it was the first time I could create a digital representation of myself."
- Mica Le John
As a humanist technologist, educator and writer, Mica’s work uses an intersectional lens to explore the relationship between technology and art. She has spent the last 7 years working with youth to explore identity and creativity, currently serves as Board Chair on the Board of Directors at viBe Theater Experience, was the 2020-21 Hopelab Entrepreneurial Fellow, and is the former Director of Education at No Longer Empty.
"I think that many existing avatar platforms only offer a limited range of options. They might have a variety of skin tones but few body shape options or offer only two binary gender options.
We provide freedom of expression and allow users to create avatars that look and feel like them, whether they identify as man, woman, or non-binary."- Mica Le John
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and SoundCloud, or watch on YouTube.
Host: Beata Wilczek
Guest: Mica Le John
Music: SKY H1
Production: Julia Kąkolewska
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Designing Diverse Avatars & Nurturing Inclusive Spaces with Mica Le John - E13